Stuck in the Shadows
by PierceTheVeils
Summary: After the fallout from a month ago, everyone's forces are scattered. No one is sure of what to do next. All they're sure of is one thing: there's no rest for the wicked, and it's up to them to come together to take down a common enemy. An enemy they all need to fear. Sequel to Out of the Darkness.
1. Prologue

**The disclaimer below applies to all chapters:**

 **THIS IS THE SECOND BOOK IN THE TRILOGY. The link to the first, Out of the Darkness, can be found on my profile. Both my partner (StrangeMindEnigma) and I are not responsible for the hot mess known as Winx Club, excluding original characters, certain locations, and more presented in this storyline. We are also not responsible for any injuries, illnesses, and/or deaths caused by reading this book. Now, please enjoy, review, and proceed with caution**.

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Prologue

It wasn't him. It looked like him and talked like him, but she knew: this man was a stranger

There was no twinkle in his eye. There were no worry lines or stubble left on his chin. There was nothing. Just a blank expression on his face.

Adrenaline surged through her. She had to get away. Run. But her feet were weights and she was in water. All she could do was watch.

The body count was climbing higher and higher as the ground was soaked in crimson. Its salty tang must have reached out in miles. The cries of the dying filled the silence of the dead. The fire crackled as the remains fluttered in the frail wind.

In the middle of the wreckage, he stood. Blood covered him, but he wasn't the owner. His hand was wrapped around a merchant's collar and he dragged the man like a useless sack, paying no heed to the victim's feeble struggle. His eyes were on her only as he stepped back into the dark. Back to where he told her to keep watch.

She was trembling when he dropped him at her feet with a careless thunk! The man winced, eyes regarding her with fear.

She flinched when a weight was pressed into her hand, handle sticky. She gingerly ran her finger on the blade, rusty but still sharp.

She froze when he told her to slit the man's throat.

Her voice was barely above a whisper when she said, "No."

He asked her again, firmer this still refused.

This couldn't be right. He should know this couldn't be right. He would never ask her to do this, but still he pressed on.

He told her it was an easy job, nothing much. That all it took was a flick from the wrist. He coaxed her in a cool yet firm tone, saying this was a test. A quiz she could easily pass. She could get sweet rewards, he said. They could stay siblings forever.

No.

No.

No!

Her eyes were wide. She shook her head. She dropped the dagger. Her only answer was that word.

He was growing impatient. He was getting loud. He started to yell.

She clamped her ears. She squeezed her eyes shut. She was shouting too. But only…

No!

Something yanked her hands down to her sides, binding them behind her back with flesh.

No!

He grabbed her shoulder tightly with his other hand.

No!

His fingernails dug into her skin.

He shook her hard, screaming at her face. Telling her she was being naive. Insisting she was useless. Proclaiming she was pathetic.

She started to cry. She couldn't help it. She wanted to go back.

Back to the times where they were smiling.

Back to the times where they were laughing.

Back to the times where they were happy, even though they never had much.

But most of all, she wanted him back. The real him. The real him wouldn't look so lifeless. The real him wouldn't be so cruel.

The real him wouldn't kill.

He shoved her to the ground. The tears were still rolling down her cheeks. Snot was dripping out of her nose. She felt so small before him. She heard a squelch. She felt droplets splashing onto her feet. She sat upright.

He had the knife now. He was plunging it into the man's throat. His face contorted and he changed into a monster. He cursed aloud that he had to do this himself.

Finally, something inside her clicked. Her feet weren't just weights anymore.

He didn't notice when she stood. He didn't see her take off. She was gone by the time he looked up.

She thought she left him for good. That she'd never return to that place.

But now, Rilei was back.


	2. Chapter One: Xander

Chapter One

Xander hated his life.

Yes, he'd said it before. Like when he was a kid, before he met Nuebon. Or when he was forbidden from attending Red Fountain despite being accepted. All those times, he'd thought he had it bad.

That was nothing.

He chugged another mug of beer, liquid spilling as he drank it down. It felt disgusting, but he didn't have money for anything better.

Outside, the late autumn wind howled, warning of winter's approach. He put his coat back on, fumbling with the buttons. Great Dragon, it was filthy.

This place was nothing like Borreania. Sure, both were minor planets with a lot of poverty and crime and condescending guards, but here it had none of his home planet's familiarity. None of the traditions and stories told before an open fire. None of the secret signs that somewhere, somehow, there were people who cared about you, who were willing to step in when the government turned their backs.

This was Desperin. And he was in the center of the capital: Monokum. Nicknamed "The City of Despair," it was known for its hostility to all. If Borreania was struggling, Desperin was belly up. If invaded, they could've been easily crushed. Unfortunately, that would require someone to actually _want_ the planet. The only one that had ever shown interest was Wisperia, for reasons Xander would never understand.

He lifted the wooden cup back to his mouth. Nothing touched his lips. Turning the cup upside down, he realized it was empty. He threw it down on the counter top.

Without warning, his stomach gurgled, probably at the cheap food he'd shoved down earlier that evening. He'd be in the restroom soon enough. It was nothing new.

Wait. Did he have enough money for another glass? Xander felt for his pockets discreetly, watching for thieves the whole time.

He closed his eyes, counting the coins his fingers touched. He had enough... If he wanted to sleep on the street tonight.

Xander cursed. He barely had enough for any food nowadays. And he'd only had two mugs of beer.

Or was it three? Four?

 _Never mind._ Time to collect some information.

"Ey," he motioned to the bartender. "Co' over 'ere."

The woman keeping the bar only stared in pity, dodging to the side as one of the older men reached out to touch her. "I think ya had enough today, lil' boy. Why don'tcha head upstairs for the night?"

"I'm... Not little." Xander protested, putting all his focus on making the words come out clearly. "And wha' abou' the info I asked for?"

The witch held out her hand expectantly, sending Xander sifting through his pockets for a copper coin. Why did everything had a price attached in this damned city? He threw it in her hand, to which she thanked him. She leaned in, whispering in his ear.

"O'er at the table in the corner, seven bounty hunters came in about an hour ago. They don't drink much, but they've cleaned through half the food larder already. Last time I approached 'em, they started talking about the Shadow Dragon. Called 'er a pretty lil' thing."

Little? Yeah, she was pretty small. Did that mean they'd actually seen her?

"Hmph. Tha's not much."

She shrugged, turning to serve the next customer. "That's all I got. Why ya so interested in a thief anyways?"

He didn't need to explain himself. The teenager nearly fell over when he got up. The room looked fuzzy but that wasn't stopping him to go to where he wanted to go.

As he wobbled over to the spot, he saw the bounty hunters. They seemed to be having an argument of some sort.

"No way, I told you! The Shadow Dragon definitely took the public portal to this city! It's in every news report on Borreania!"

Borreania? They'd been on Borreania when the girl escaped?

"That was over a month ago, smartass! What kind of criminal stays in one location?"

"Well, not many people know what she looks like. She was a dirty little tramp, too. Would blend right in with this dump."

"Not her little friends. Which is odd, you know. We never heard anything about them after they-"

"Hey, hunters," the woman at the head of the table stopped the chatter, jerking her chin towards Xander. "We've got a visitor."

All eyes turned to his direction. Their faces were replaced with amusement or irritation.

"What do you want?" leered a young girl, eyes wandering over him and all the dirt he'd accumulated over the past two months.

"I heard you talkin' abou' the Shadow Dragon," Xander replied brazenly, tongue feeling thick in his mouth. He tried to stand tall. "I'm lookin' for her."

"Oh?" one of the men raised an eyebrow. "What's a kid like you doing in a place like this? Didn't your parents raise you better than that?"

The girl, who couldn't possibly be older than him, snickered. "I don't think so. I bet he's not old enough to drink. Just because bars will serve you doesn't make it legal."

 _Bitch._

"Jus' answer my question," Xander could feel his heart pounding, hands clenching into tight fists. "It won' 'ake much o' your time."

All of them chuckled, making his cheeks go red. He hated how the people around here treated him like some lost kid.

Except it wasn't just here. Everyone did. If he was a hero, he would've gotten some respect. Why hadn't he kept his uniform?

"Cough it up. Where's you see 'er?"

This sent a new round of laughter through the group. One of the men stood up. He was tall, dark, and he smelled like spoiled meat. Or was that Xander? "Why should we tell you? Tryin' to catch her for money?"

"I bet he wants to catch criminals, just like those specialists on the news. Chasing evil by day, pixie tail by night."

"God, what a waste of a boy. Whoever raised this kid must be off their rocker."

 _No._

 _Did they just?_

 _They did not..._

The image of Nuebon's kind face flashed through Xander's bloodshot eyes.

Before he knew it, his hands were on the man's neck. "You son of a-!"

Someone grabbed Xander from behind. He tried to kick them, but his reflexes were too slow. Dragon, why did alcohol do that?

It was a blur. Hands grabbed him from all directions.

He twisted and turned. Laughter came from every side. Onlookers were eager to watch but they kept their distance.

He shouted. But a hand came over to muffle the sound. He flicked his tongue, meeting skin. Fingers lifted off, hovering in his face. He leaned forward and chopped down hard. He tasted grease and blood. Someone cursed as they yanked the limb out. Xander spat crimson.

"Who's nex'?!" he roared.

"Shut it!" A foot plunged into his core.

For a moment, he was free. But then he doubled over to the ground. Great Dragon, he felt sick. His stomach was churning. The place was spinning. Xander curled up into a ball.

He heard the leader scoff. His eyes darted to see her walking away.

He saw red. Xander swallowed and shot up to his feet. He ran forward and jumped. The woman gave a yelp when he tackled her from behind. More shouts came. She stumbled forward, but then she leaned back. The both of them went down. His back slammed onto the floor. The air was knocked out from his lungs. The back of his head flared with pain.

The leader shook him off. She got up.

"Hold him." She commanded.

Hands obeyed. His toes went off a few inches from the ground.

He blink, his eyes saw groups of the same, seething woman.

Oh crap.

She stepped forward. The clones all merged into one. "Can't you take a hint?" she grabbed the nearest thing- a cup of wine. "You little shit!"

She bashed him over the head, shattering glass and splashing spirits. That's when the bar lady came over with a broom. He could barely make her features out.

"Oy! No fighting in my bar! Ya wanna go? Do it next door! Who started this?"

Suddenly, everything touching him left his body. Everything except the hard floor. It was all too happy to meet him and smack his head a second time. Xander touched the crown. He scanned his hand. Good. No blood.

Seven fingers pointed at his face. "He attacked our friend, miss."

The tender put her hands on her hips. She looked down at Xander. "Well? What do you have to say?"

He opened his mouth with the intention to speak. But out of his mouth came puke instead.

"Ew!" The young girl screeched when it landed on her shoes. He was met with disgusted faces.

He flipped the bird and wiped his mouth. Served them right.

The witch only cursed. "Great. Another mess to clean." She looked back at the crowd. "Nothing to see 'ere. Move on." She turned to Xander. "Get up."

He tried to comply, but his legs gave out beneath him.

"Oh, save it. We know ya fakin'."

Xander grit his teeth, trying to force his thoughts in a clear direction. With that, he was able to stand. Everything hurt.

"Out of my bar." A stick prodded him in the back, pushing him out the door. "Shoo. Ya too young to be in here anyways."

 _Didn't bother you a second ago._ He wanted to snap. _But I guess seven customers pay more than one._

He staggered down the dirty street, coated in smog.

He coughed. Desperin may have been more industrialized than Borreania, but that didn't make them any richer.

As he walked, some of his common sense started to work again, reminding him of his goal. He needed to find the Shadow Dragon.

He cursed. Chasing her was as hard as chasing the stars. He looked for clues in every place he could think of. The public portal's screening process had been taken over by the inter-planetary alliance's soldiers. There was no way she'd leave Desperin without making waves.

But Desperin was a big place. She was one more troubled soul in a planet full of them.

And so was he.

Where could she possibly be? Xander had been here for a month. All his leads had turned into dead ends.

The ex-specialist hobbled into an alley, one hand on the wall while the other clutched his skull. Maybe he could pass out here. It didn't look like any gangs could get through. Besides, he hid his money well. No way was a thief finding it without waking him up.

He sat there, trying to fall asleep. But he could only think of his failures and mistakes. A random tear streaked down his face.

Who was he kidding?

I'm not a hero.

I'm just useless.

* * *

 **A/ N's: SME: (blows horn, announcing their arrival) Hear ye, hear ye. Hello, fanfiction. It's been so long.**

 **PTV: (stares out at readers, trying to smile) Oh my gosh. We're actually back. I don't believe it.**

 **SME: Woot woot. (Pulls the string of a party popper. Confetti flies)**

 **PTV: So... This is different. I swore and referenced a lot of stuff I usually don't. Drunk!Xander is vulgar. He's also Despair!Xander and Frustrated/ Possibly-OOC!Xander. Ugh. I've never been drunk before. How did we do?**

 **Speaking of different things, I believe you've already noticed. This is on my account again.**

 **SME: (Waves) Hello.**

 **PTV: I'm once again responsible for uploads. I'm also doing odd chapters with SME on even numbers and the prologue. She can be credited for the beauty that is the previous page.**

 **SME: Aw, thanks. I feel so appreciated. I know I said it before, but there's something fun with traumatizing and/ or beating up your characters.**

 **PTV: That's... creepy. We've essentially reversed roles back to normal, though.**

 **SME: Pretty much, yeah.**

 **PTV: Well, I hope you all enjoy our return to the OotD world. If you have a specific story you want me to update/ anything to comment on, leave it in a review. And with that... I'll see you on the far side!**


	3. Chapter Two: Rileianna

Chapter Two

Fear swept across every nerve. Despite her efforts to stop panicking, the worse possible scenarios kept flooding Rilei's mind, causing her lose rational thought.

Her eyes darted to the fence's hole. It was small, something she'd had squeeze through in order to hide.

But she doubted that would stop her stalker. They would find her, and she would be trapped. Who knows what they would do with her once they got her?

Rilei bit her lip, getting ready to run. In her crouch, her muscles were tense. She stared at the opening.

On the other side, the floor was littered with trash, spills, and dust. Miraculously, tiny spikes of grass poked through the concrete.

The alley branched off from the city street. It was the one empty part in a sea of crowded slums. Nothing stood upon the cracked bricks, and Rilei heard only silence. For a moment, anyway.

She nearly jumped at the sudden sound of pounding feet.

Right in front of the hole, black boots skittered to a halt.

Rilei's heart skipped a beat.

 _Stay calm._ She thought. _Stay calm._

The panting stranger was only visible up to mid- thigh. It shifted about, looking for her tracks.

As her pulse raced, shuffling steps and intelligible words sounded in Rilei's ears. Were they speaking another language?

The two of them stayed in their places. The stranger paced about while she all but held her breath. A few minutes passed. Finally, her pursuer turned and walked away, leaving her alone.

Rilei waited. She stared at the spot, anticipating her pursuer's return. When they didn't come back, she sighed in relief. Safe, but how long?

Rilei got up, shoved herself through the hole, and took a right out of the alleyway. Her tender legs stretched as she crept quietly through the back lane. Filthy strangers eyed her body as she passed, making her shiver.

Okay, so maybe traveling through these parts wasn't the best idea. But Rilei needed to get move on. She'd been in Reincarn for a week. That was long enough.

Rilei didn't know what people even wanted from her. Surely, people hadn't figured out what she looked like?

Then again, motives (while good to know) were something she didn't need as long as she wasn't caught. They didn't matter if she was, either.

She shuddered. These days, she always felt like she was being watched. As if someone was standing right behind her, observing her every move. But every time she looked back, there was no one.

 _Maybe I'm just being paranoid._ She had to stop doing this to herself. It would cloud her head if she wasn't careful.

 _"If something's holding you back, let it go. You have to move forward in life."_

That was advice given to her a long time ago. If only she knew how to follow it.

She forced herself to face forward, stepping over the occasional rubble blocking the path.

She wasn't following the directions the locals gave her. She made a few detours when trying to lose her pursuer. But she could see an exit out of town just fine. It wasn't a problem.

Reincarn was a big city. But for a huge place, there wasn't much she could do.

There were job openings. But the more respectable places required proof of education, something she didn't have. There was the nearby factory, but Rilei had no interest in spending the rest of her life (however long that may be) doing the same thing. She would rather starve to death than work to insanity.

Besides, if she stayed in one place, she'd be that much easier to find. That was something she would never allow. So, for the time being, she was once again a street rat. But no matter what happened, she would _not_ return to the life of a criminal. Worst came to worst, she could panhandle for necessities.

But not with the bounty hunters in the city. That, she did not understood.

From what she heard, Prince Kazen's case was solved. The real culprits were some of the king's men, involved in a conspiracy of some sort. She didn't care for politics, but Rilei knew that this should mean she was in the clear. Her crimes of thievery weren't serious enough for interplanetary attention.

She stood corrected when she saw that wanted poster, three weeks ago.

Rilei remembered seeing the paper, surrounded by all kinds of people, through a cafe window.

At first, she thought it was still the same scrap that accused her for murder. But, then she realized that something was off. Sure, it still had the crude portrait. But there were different words and, somehow, an even bigger reward was offered.

"Wanted," she recalled reading, "for Association with Fugitives, Possible Involvement in Terror Attacks, and More."

At that moment then, Rilei cursed every omnipotent thing she could think of.

Was her life just some sort of sick joke? Did the gods hate her all of the sudden?

Why did that portal have to land her _here_ of all places? This run down _shanty town_ of a planet? Well, fine. She could deal with it. It wasn't new, or anything.

When she first arrived on Desperin, Rilei understood she was still on the radar. Thus, she didn't stick around in Monokum, the first place dimensional authorities would search. But it had been a month. By now, the buzz should have died down. Not snowballing into this shit.

She kicked a rock aside.

'Terror Attacks?' Really? What were the Winx thinking? Rilei wasn't a saint, but she wasn't a terrorist either. Why point the finger at her? Had she really pissed them off that severely?

And 'Association with Fugitives?' If they were talking about the Trix, then they really got things wrong. Rilei hadn't seen them since Hyoneh. Wherever they were, she just hoped they were dealing with this sort of crap as well. They better be. At least they were _real_ terrorists.

If she never saw them again, it'd be too soon. She already had enough to deal with.

Like where to go from here, for example. She was running out of cities to visit, even if they all looked the same.

Rilei stepped out of the shambles. The clearing was full of dead grass, trees, and random junk. She looked up. The clouds were still grey as ever. She crinkled her nose. The smells from the industries nearby, if anything, have gotten worse.

In a huff, she took out her map and compass from her bag.

Rilei wasn't out of the woods yet. Even if she'd returned to her city of birth.

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 **A/ N's: PTV: Oh look, is that an update you see? Right at its scheduled time? That's right: this story has the same update schedule as OotD did unless otherwise noted. Hopefully, we can stick to a schedule. EDIT: We're keeping this update schedule. But expect Chapters Four and Five to come faster to make up for our delay.**

 **SME: Yeah, she's wrong. This is not at the scheduled time. I'm sorry, everyone, for the wait. I got distracted and kept on putting it off. That was not fair and appropiate for PTV and you readers. I promise, I'll try harder to get it on time.**

 **PTV: To be fair, it's been a rough few weeks.**

 **For one, me and my coauthor are gonna be collaborating at a distance soon. She's moving to another state. God, I'm gonna miss her, but hopefully this story keeps our friendship together.**

 **SME: Me too. About a good portion of my family's things, including our computer, have already been packed up. So, I'm uploading this from my phone.**

 **PTV: Speaking of SME, I guess you want to hear from her herself. Thanks for reading, please review, and I'll see you on the far side!**

 **SME: At first, I wasn't really confident with this chapter. But after some edits, I think it came out okay. So yeah.**


	4. Chapter Three: Darcy

Chapter Three

Darcy pulled the black hood further over her face, glaring at the guard from the corner of her eye.

He'd been looking at her sisters since they arrived. Nothing in his eyes suggested recognition, but he'd been following them since their arrival. Even as a pickpocket ran from a merchant, he was focused on the Trix.

Darcy pursed her lips. What did he want?

After a minute, she huffed, forcing herself to look away. Whoever that man was, she had no reason to show interest in him. He wasn't trying to arrest them, fight them, or kill them. Therefore, it could wait.

Someone nudged her from the side, causing Darcy to flinch. "What are you staring at?" Icy asked from beside her, harsh voice interrupting her thoughts.

"There's a guard following us. I don't know what he's after." She replied in a low voice. She jerked her head in his direction.

Her sister gave a narrow glance before rolling her eyes. "Can't you just use your magic and-" Icy stopped, realizing her words.

She began to swear under her breath, having just remembered. Darcy shared the sentiment.

Ever since their rebellion on Borreania, their powers had been... unstable. They weren't gone (the witches could still feel the buzz in the back of their minds), but every time one of them tried to access their magic, use even the smallest bit, it would explode in their faces. No, literally. It would destroy the surrounding area, knocking all three of them unconscious the one occasion they'd tried it.

The Trix had no control over it. They tapped into the well, and all the water came out. It left them exhausted for hours. Fights would be impossible in this state. They were helpless to anyone who discovered their identity.

Their ancestors were punishing them. Punishing them for defying their orders. Jail and humiliation for failure and incompetence, magical instability for rebellion and foolishness.

A strange emotion was rising in her stomach, shooting adrenaline through her limbs. It was making Darcy want to run.

But, she wasn't angry at anything. She shouldn't be having this reaction. Unless, she was...

She was...

 _No_. She was _not_. She was Darcy, member of the Trix and descendant of the Ancestrals. Beautiful and feared by all, with the powers to match.

Except she'd been left with only a sliver of her tricks. Once again, she was _weak_. She hadn't been this frail since she and her sisters were kids.

They'd been the children who were neglected by the world, who starved and screamed and begged for survival. Children who were denied by the world, hunted by the Company of Light. Back when people cheered at the slaughter of children born to the coven (or just suspected of such). Back then, it was "justice." It made her sick to this day.

"...Ridiculous, Darcy. This is ridiculous."

Stormy was standing in front of her, wild curls sticking out from under her cloak. She was irritated, obviously. When was she not?

"What?" Darcy said coolly, forgetting all the interrupted thoughts in her head. "What is it now?"

"You need to get better at answering to 'Drina' again," Icy commented. "What's going on with you?"

"Are you seriously freaking out over a man? Didn't seem to bother you last night."

Ah. Icy must have told her, then.

"That was different, St-Selia," Darcy pinched her nose, trying to keep calm. "Are you still hung up on that?"

"He was disgusting. I can't believe you waited all that time to get out. What, did you secretly like it, or-"

"We have the money. What's done is done." Darcy snapped. She didn't need reminders of that night.

She adjusted the modest bag in her cleavage. It didn't jingle as much as other places, and a pickpocket would have to be pretty clever (or stupid) to try for that area. "Why are we in this market, again?"

"Warding charms," Icy reminded her sisters, eying them for any lingering arguments. "I'm tired of skipping town every morning, I swear the witches are following us. The charm might block their view."

"Yes, because a cheap talisman is really going to stop them," Stormy replied sarcastically. "They'll break it the second they realize we have them."

"No, they won't," Darcy argued. "They've been going to great lengths to keep their influence unnoticed. The attacks on major planets? Anyone with dark magic could have done it. Our powers aside, what have they done to tell us they're watching?"

"Send other people to watch us. When we caught them, they were under a spell. Which we had no shot at breaking." Icy answered. "For all we know, it's someone else entirely."

"Exactly. Nonetheless, we're going to keep them hidden as much as possible. If the spells on them still break, despite all our caution, we'll know exactly who did it. They don't want that... yet."

"We'll still have to watch out, though. Most warding charms only protect people from dark magic." Icy held a hand out to her other sister. "Coins, please."

Darcy complied without question, watching as Icy turned into a corner to discreetly count them all. When she finished, her voice was filled with scorn. "This is all guards get paid? I almost pity them."

"He was the richest man in the bar that night," Darcy explained crossly. "Trust me, I checked."

"Fine. We're almost at the stall anyway," Icy huffed, turned around, and began leading the way.

Supposedly, she'd came across this place yesterday, when hiding in a filthy tavern room became too much to bear. She came back explaining what she'd found. They'd argued back then, a lengthier version of today's debate, until Darcy and Stormy had been convinced to go along with it.

Most witches didn't use talismans, since they prevented one from using her own magic. Since there wasn't much concern on that front, Darcy was in favor of the idea. All in all, she could only see the upsides to purchasing protection.

Great ancestors, the marketplace was filthy. Smog churned out from every factory in the city, clouding the faces and hopes of all who came near. The wealthy few breathed it in happily, loudly boasting of how the scent was a sign of their riches. Darcy had wanted to kill those factory owners. But that was weeks ago.

Two weeks, to be exact. The Trix had been hiding out on Desperin for two weeks. They'd started off on Popularis, but quickly fled when they realized just how stoked the investigation for their heads had become. Since then, they'd been running about to all sorts of places before settling (or as close to settling as they could come) on Desperin. The Planet of Despair, as it was called by some. It was as dark as Wisperia, but without the vicious cults and rich history.

Icy nudged her companions, pointing to a shabby cart with hastily painted signs and what looked like fabric jewelry hanging from above. It was ignored by most passing patrons. Inside was an old lady with wide eyes, glancing at each person like she was looking into their soul.

The Trix walked right up to the cart and the woman then fixed her eyes on the space above their heads. No one said a word.

"...you girls," the hag whispered, shaking and clutching her battered hair. The sound was muffled by the scarf covering her mouth. "I see your tragedy. From birth, a darkness has surrounded you, infecting all you touch. Your touch reaches far, not at your decision, but at something else's. An evil spirit holds claim over you. Perhaps even," she gulped, "the evil spirit."

Darcy was taken aback. A fortune-teller?! She thought that practice had died out! While there were still fakes in the world, they mostly catered to parties and tourist attractions. They weren't accurate enough to be useful.

"Insolence, young one." the old lady turned directly to Darcy, pupils narrowed and unfocused. "Predicting the future is a difficult art, one no being can truly master. It takes no clairvoyance to state the obvious. You should know as much. Now let me continue: you come from a dark place, full of hatred and despair. You seek to escape, potentially at the cost of your strength and pride. This is the second step to breaking free, though you've missed the first." She spoke as if she knew what was going on in Darcy's head. Was this how people felt when she did it?

"We didn't come here to have our fortunes told," Icy replied coldly. "We want warding charms. The most powerful ones you got."

"Fine, I will not offer advice. But know this: Elena sees who you truly are. It frightens me, but it gives me hope. Your role in recent years hinders you. But you are not the type to run from what troubles you."

Before the witches could continue arguing with her, she turned her back, and hopped off the stool. As it turned out, the crone was very short. She walked right past the charms she had on display, opening a large metal box that glowed from the inside. She reach and groped until she grabbed what she wanted. She closed the box, and held out her hand for the Trix to see.

They narrowed their eyes upon seeing the charms: three tiny orange dragons, rendered in the image of the Great Dragon itself.

The irony.

Though Darcy couldn't discern the magic contained within, they emitted bright rays of power. Just being near them made her feel sick.

"Pieces of the Dragon's light. Not its fire, mind you. The dragon began with a pure power of three: light, warmth, and peace. Contradicting these factors were darkness, cold, and chaos. Pure only in pure evil. These will protect you from those magics, but those only." Elena dropped one into each of their hands. Once the stones touched flesh, their light dimmed almost completely.

"How much?" Darcy asked as Icy opened the bag.

Elena waved it off and only laughed. "They are worth more than twenty-six dimeres, I can assure you. But I can make this a free gift, should you promise one thing."

Icy dropped her charm on the counter of the cart, causing it to brighten. "If you can really see who we are, you should know better. Bargains haven't been the best things for us. Or our partners."

The lady chuckled, pushing the dragon talisman back towards Icy. "You are desperate and afraid. I am taking advantage of you. It's nothing new, though it still stings, I'm sure. Relax: I have no ambitions regarding power. My wish is very simple. Simply promise me, when the new dawn comes," she took the time to look hard into each of their eyes, "that you will be there to see it. Do not die in the depths of the night."

"I... can't promise that. None of us can," Stormy stuttered out. The old woman's face darkened.

"You come here seeking protection. If you don't work towards your own goal, why should I assist?"

"But-"

"Selia, stop," Darcy ordered, turning to face the hag in her severely wrinkled face. "We promise."

In that moment, something odd happened. By all means, Darcy had meant to lie. But when she spoke the words, it didn't felt like deception anymore.

"Very well, child," the woman smiled, "the protection lasts so long as you wish to live."

And with that, Icy picked up her charm and left. Her sisters followed her.

"Who was that lady?" Stormy muttered. "A quack?"

Darcy wasn't sure herself. The crone- Elena- spoke as if she knew everything. But she couldn't possibly... Could she?

"Whoever she was, she wants something," she whispered back. "These wards are powerful; you don't just give them away for free. And that promise..."

"I don't get it. What did we promise, exactly?"

"I don't know," Icy admitted, fingering the orange stone. "Let's just hope it's something we don't regret. Again."

* * *

 **A/ N's: PTV: Sorry about the uploading issue last time. I'm not in charge of that, but SME is sure it won't happen again. Plus, she's busy moving eastward. Give her a break.**

 **I love the Trix. I really do. I always felt like they could have a more interesting story than the Winx, which can make it hard for me to write about the Winx and the Trix in the same fic, because of who I favor. I'll hopefully be better at it this sequel, as the Winx have a smaller role. Plus, we need both parties for our ending. If anyone can recommend us a half- decent Trix fic, I will love you forever. I swear I've read all the ones I know about, but who knows? I haven't read Winx fanfic in a while.**

 **Oh, and fun fact: Dimere (the Desperinian currency) is also the name of an incantation in the game, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright. Great game, but it does nothing to interest me in the Layton series. Just a reference I thought I'd share with you people.**

 **As always, I sincerely hope you review, because even though I no longer am the one replying, reading what you all have to say brightens my day. Even if you spend the whole review (constructively) criticizing our writing abilities.**

 **Well, I guess it's SME's turn to speak. Thanks for stopping in, and I'll see you on the far side.**

 **SME: (rolls in) I have made it into the East Coast. I repeat, I have made it into the East Coast.**

 **Yeah, sorry about last time. But here we are now, on schedule. That's something. Still, I hope you enjoy this chappie as well as the whole story so far.**

 **Thank you, Chaos Emerald 7 for your follow, cybercorpsesnake for your reviews, and CrystalHauntress for that along with your favorite. My appreciation for the views we have goes to every single one of you guys who took the time to read this little trilogy of ours.**

 **Here, have some metaphorical llama cookies meant to indicate my gratefulness for you all (tosses a basket into the crowd). Eat, you internet dwellers! EAT!**

 **Again, much thanks and SOON.**

 **NEW NOTE 12/19/15: PTV: okay, I've finished the reupload. Expect to see Chapter Four (featuring Winx) in a week. I'm writing it because for the moment, SME has a busier schedule than I do. But she is in charge of Chapter Five. That will be up before the break is over.**

 **Thanks for being patient with us, we hope to hear from you, and I'll see you on the far side!**


	5. Chapter Four: Aisha

Chapter Four

"I'm sorry, but now's not a good time"

 _Of course it isn't._ Aisha wanted to snap. _Because if it was, that would mean I could talk to my_ family _for once._

"Your cousin has a kingdom to run. And too many merpeople are still suffering from-"

"I know, Tressa!" Aisha's brows furrowed. "I was there when it happened, remember?"

"I remember. Unlike you, though, I actually bothered to stick around."

Aisha's grip on the phone tightened as the pit of her stomach dropped.

"Tell Nereus to call me as soon as possible." She said curtly. "But not tonight. I have an interview."

"I'll tell him. But Aisha, one of these days you're going to have to-"

"Bye, Tressa. Thanks for the update."

She hung up before the mermaid could say any more, sinking deeper into the couch cushions. She loved her cousin. But at times like these, she didn't want to hear it.

Aisha stared at her phone. It felt cold and heavy, like everything else in her hands. She set it aside on the edge of her couch.

A month had passed since their trip to Borreania. A month since they failed to catch the Trix. Every time Aisha forgot, the press had been there to remind her. And that whole time Andros and all its problems were still on her mind. While things were getting better as her family was resuming order, they needed all the aid they could get. But they didn't want to beg, of course. How dare they appear _weak_ to other nations!

Andros's problems were twofold: On the surface, there was a sudden explosion of piracy. Sea bandits took advantage of the chaos left by Tritannus. They wrought havoc wherever they could through raids, smuggling, and trafficking. Below sea, mutants were still running amok. Those who were cured faced… relapses. Well, they didn't turn back into mutants, but the doctors didn't know what else to call them. Aisha hadn't seen it firsthand, but she was told that cured mermaids and mermen were prone to fits and aggression spells at the sign of a trigger. Unfortunately, that trigger was different for every person.

Aisha wished she could help. She really did. But the Winx needed her too, especially now.

Aisha closed her eyes, breathing in slowly. There was too much going on and no matter what magic she possessed, she couldn't be in two places at once.

"Knock. Knock." Musa stuck her head through the doorway. "Ready to go?"

Aisha nodded. "Yeah, just give me a sec."

She met the rest of her team in the living room of their penthouse suite. With three bedrooms and six beds, it had been worth the money. They walked through the door and were off. Before she knew it, the six fairies were walking down the sidewalk as a dozen members of the paparazzi trailed behind.

"Winx!" One reporter yelled. "What's to be done about the new attacks?"

"Whaddya know 'bout the Shadow Dragon?" Another took a shot, accent thick. "Whaddya gonna do 'bout her, aye?"

"Shadow Dragon?" One more scoffed. "How about the latest royal scandal instead? Did you hear Princess Veranda? She totally attacked your methods."

Like bullets in war, the questions were fired one after another. Sometimes all together. The shouts continued, nonstop.

Aisha could feel the stares, and not just from the reporters. Even the passerby watched them, expressions ranging from admiration to suspicion. She wanted to hide, but she couldn't. That wasn't what the Winx did. That wasn't what the princess of Andros would have done. The planet needed her to be strong. If she was weak, her whole country was.

She didn't speak to the press. She had nothing to say.

Musa rubbed her temples, ears sensitive to all the noise. "I can't take it anymore."

Stella placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping her voice low. "Just ignore them, sweetie. Trust me, no matter what you do, they always want more."

"Frankly," Tecna stated brusquely, "I don't see why we should walk to the interview. Driving would have taken us there much faster, and would have been entirely more peaceful."

"We can't hide in a car! Come on, girls! Walking shows confidence," the Solarian flipped her hair. "It gives the public the image we need: ready to stand tall, despite a few mistakes."

Bloom stared at Stella, incredulity bright in her eyes. "You think we can brush this off? Just like that?"

"Excuse me?" the blonde cocked her head.

During the past few months, irritation was becoming more prevalent in Bloom. The redhead would try and fail to shove it under the rug: a veneer of sickly sweet cheer.

Aisha glanced between the two. Yeah, Stella can be clueless, but she was doing her best to stay optimistic. It wouldn't do them any good if they started a scene.

The two girls stared at each other.

"Never mind." Bloom (tried to) smile. "Sorry, Stell." She faced forward. "Alright, Winx. We're almost there!"

Stella met Aisha's eyes. The Solarian shook her head as she mouthed, _Weird_.

The girls picked up their walking pace, steps in time with one another. They were like models on the runway, with Aisha sashaying from the left fringe. To her right, in order, were Musa, Stella, Bloom, Flora, and Tecna. Flashes from cameras came from all around them, with noises like gunshots.

Out the corner of her eye, the fairy saw the building they meant to enter. She pointed it out to the others. "There it is."

Bloom took off. While she bounded, she looked back to see the others, frowning at her for breaking form. "Come on, Winx!"

Reluctantly, Aisha followed suit. They couldn't look disorganized in the slightest. Not when the whole universe was watching.

Hair and makeup went by in a blur. Aisha knew she had too much when her face felt like an inflexible mask. The artists must have ensured the only facial expression the Winx were capable of was a camera induced smile. Even Tecna, who'd publicly preached against makeup on several occasions, was coated forehead to chin. At least it _looked_ natural.

Five minutes before the show started, the Winx were introduced to Nicole Swift. She was host of ''Swift and the Stars", the hottest talk show in the Magic Dimension. She was shorter than Aisha thought, with spiky blonde hair and a slight Solarian accent.

"Ah, girls! It's wonderful to meet you. I trust you all got my cards?"

Apparently, the producers wanted a perfect show, with no slip ups on anybody's part. To ensure the Winx would be ready, they'd sent every interview question to them in advance so that they could prepare how to answer. None of the questions would hit very hard, but they were just substantive enough to entertain the viewers. Or at least, that's what the producers told them.

Aisha was ready. She and the Winx had compared notes, practiced in front of each other a billion times. Stella's Swift impression was spot on.

Bloom nodded, taking Aisha back into the moment. "We're ready for this."

"Good," Nicole motioned for them to follow, leading them to what was presumably the stage area. "You girls have a lot to answer for. If anything, I'm going easy."

"We understand," Flora whispered, slight hoarseness slipping into her voice.

"Wonderful. Now ladies, get ready to put on your best smiles. We're on in three."

They nodded in unison, waiting for the talk show host to leave. When she walked on stage, they joined hands and leaned in.

"We're gonna rock this, right?" Musa asked the group.

"Of course!" Stella chirped. "It's nothing we haven't handled before. Just remember your answers and be natural."

"You do realize you just told us to do two completely different things, right?"

"Thanks for tuning in, Magic Dimension, and welcome! I'm your host, Nicole Swift, and boy, do we have a show for you! Joining us tonight are the six most beloved fairies in the universe, the people you've wanted to see for a month now as they step forward to address the recent disasters. Please welcome, the Winx!"

That was their cue. Aisha was the first to walk on, smiling and waving like she was without a care in the world. As they came in and were seated, she realized they'd kept the order they'd walked to the venue in, with Tecna closest to the audience.

"Welcome to the show, ladies. I don't think we've ever had all of you together before."

"Thanks for inviting us, Nicole," Bloom kept a warm smile on her face. "It's a pleasure to be here."

"Now tell me, Bloom. You've been out on the front lines this whole time, despite having just saved your sister, Daphne, from the Sirenix curse. Is there a reason you aren't with her right now?"

"I spent several weeks at Daphne's side," Bloom replied. "One day, she asked me 'Why aren'y you out there, helping your friends?' I realized that I should be with the Winx, searching for the witches who tortured her and doing everything I can to bring them to justice. When I left Domino, I promised her I would come back when the Trix were finally sent into Oblivion, where they belong."

Nicole nodded along, listening intently as Bloom gave her answer. Then she turned to Stella. "I see. Speaking of families, how does it feel to have your mother and father together again, after so long?"

"Strange," Stella blurted out, genuine emotion shining out of her eyes. That hadn't been rehearsed, but she corrected herself. "Strange, but really nice. I've missed them both so much recently, but it gives me strength, knowing I have a loving home to come back to. I wish everyone could have a family so wonderful."

That sounded nothing like Stella, but it was the only answer that passed her peers' judgement. Nothing could seem out of place this time.

"Wow. Is it true that, with the exception of Bloom, none of you have gone home since the Trix escaped capture?"

"Yes," Musa asserted. "We've been cooperating with law enforcement on every planet in the whole dimension in our search. Evil doesn't rest, so why should we?"

This brought about a round of cheers from the audience. It seemed Musa had been right to stick with that response. Flora had been worried about it.

"Ah, yes. And is it true that you have found no new leads since the fight on Borreania?"

No, it wasn't. They were spotted in the public portal station leaving Popularis. But since no witnesses could confirm their destination, things had gone nowhere fast.

"That is, unfortunately, correct," Tecna spoke so confidently, so assuredly. It almost convinced Aisha. "While we can't conclusively connect the Trix to any of the recent attacks, we are confident they're planning something. If we wait for them to reveal themselves, we have no estimates on how long it'd take to recapture them, and we have no sources on what their resources or allies will look like."

"But what about the Shadow Dragon? Are the rumors of her association with the witches to be denied?"

"Not yet," Tecna answered again. "While they parted ways in Borreania, we don't know if they are still working together. Nor do we know the Trix's motives for recruiting a local thief out on a minor planet."

Nicole nodded. "I see. Princess Aisha, what is the latest word on the Androsian recovery effort?"

Good thing she'd called Tressa before the show. "I checked in with my family this morning. According to them, the rebuilding and rehabilitating efforts are going smoothly, if slowly. They're very thankful for all the support people around the dimension have lent to them, and would like to encourage everyone to continue their progress in cleaning our universe's oceans. It's more important than most magical beings seem to realize."

"It's horrifying to think about what these people go through," Flora tacked on. "Some people's minds may experience lasting effects."

"I can't imagine," Nicole shook her head sadly, dangling earrings swinging about. "Will the heinous perpetrators ever be caught? What exactly went wrong, that day in Hyoneh?"

"It was a combination of several things, I think," Flora answered, turning her head downwards. "Chief of these things was the lack of cooperation, between us and the local government. It is my deepest regrets that Borreania's ruling body had to deal with the many tragedies they have suffered, topped off by the appearance of the Trix. No one was prepared for what happened that day."

"You claim you were unprepared, that day?"

"Yes."

"But if that's true, how can the dimension trust you to be prepared next time, or the time after that, or when another dark magic attack hits? According to our data, two dozen innocent people have already died from the attacks, with hundreds more injured. The law is no closer to finding a culprit than you are to finding the Trix. Why should the people look to you for support?"

"They shouldn't," Bloom answered, earning a round of gasps. She didn't falter. "They shouldn't stay complacent and hope that we're going to fix everything. We have power, but we aren't gods. We need the support of everyone to face these disasters. If we want to end the constant threat we face, if we want to stop living in constant fear, we all need to step up. Get involved. Join the cause. This isn't one man's fight. When the Trix, the Shadow Dragon, or whoever else threatens our safety, we need to fight back. We need to respond as one force. That way, we're stronger than we could ever be alone."

A quiet was stretched out, onto the awed audience. It still surprised Aisha how sharp- tongued Bloom could be.

Nicole cleared her throat. "Thank you, girls for that insight." After Bloom's impassioned speech, the host seemed slightly subdued. "One more question, before all of you leave: you're an inspiration to fairies everywhere. If you each could tell them one thing, what would you say, in these dark times?"

"Don't let the darkness get you down," Bloom started. "In our worlds, fairies are the light for others to follow, the beacon of hope we can all flock to. Be the hope you need so much."

"Don't doubt yourself," Stella was next. "When you need to overcome an obstacle, confidence is half the battle!"

"Don't lose sight of where you come from. It's where you've been that defines where you're headed."

"Keep a clear head at all times. Logic is your greatest weapon."

"Keep your eyes on the prize. If you want something, just go for it!"

"Face the music, when things go wrong." Musa finished them off. "The past predicts the future."

"And that's it for the Winx, everyone! Give them a big hand."

With that, the group stood and waved, walking off in the same manner they walked in. Their interview went much better than Aisha had thought it would.

So, why was she still anxious?

* * *

 **A/N's: PTV: We're back! We're back! I'm go glad we continued to write this story. Even as I speak, SME is hard at work on Chapter Five. Expect to see it in eight days, tops.  
**

 **I wanted to post this on Friday, but then I realized something: Friday is Christmas! I wasn't going to get a chance to do anything fanfiction related. I hope you all will consider this a Christmas present, from us to you. I don't care if you celebrate Christmas or not (it's the gesture that counts, right?)**

 **So, this chapter is going to be one of the few times we see the Winx and the normal protagonist cast, mainly because we want to expand on the Trix and OOCs. I can see... five chapters in this story being from their POV. SitS will likely be longer than OotD, with over forty chapters. We can't get rid of them completely, because we need them to be around for the third book. That said, they have little involvement in the finale.**

 **Speaking of characters, I'm super excited: in the next chapter I write, a character from the comics is going to appear! Anyone who can guess that character's identity will get a drabble written in their name with whatever they want included, specially from me.**

 **But I've rambled on long enough. Thanks for stopping by, please review, and enjoy this word from my coauthor!**

 **SME:** **And we're back. Hey guys, long time no see. I apologize for the long wait. There were some big changes we both had to adjust to, high school included. No worries, we're trying our best with continuing SitS.**

 **So for now, I hope you're satisfied with the chapter. Think of it as a present for Christmas. See ya soon!**


	6. Chapter Five: Xander

Chapter Five

"Kid," the barista stopped, "get it through your thick skull: I'm not serving minors tonight."

Xander held up his hands. "Alright, alright. What more do you want?"

"To not waste my time, for one thing." Moe squinted at the coins in Xander's purse. "Good grief, is that all you got? That's barely enough for an appetizer."

Xander huffed as he groped in his jacket. He dropped more chips. "Just tell me what I can get."

"Really?" Moe raised a brow

Xander waited.

Moe plopped down a small cup of fries onto his table.

It was Xander's turn to raise a brow. His heart sank. " _That's_ what you call an appetizer? Why are there only four fries?"

"Four and a half." Moe held up the smaller piece. "It's all you can afford. You asked what you can get and you got what you can get."

"But... that's it?"

"Hey, it's either that or you get out. No loiterers allowed."

Xander was about to protest, but his rumbling stomach told him to suck it up.

"Fine." He took the dish. "I'll take it." He shoved the 'change' into his pockets.

The wooden floors creaked under his worn boots. There were few customers at the tables, most of them guards. Their once-shiny badges barely gleam as they talk quietly amongst themselves, bags under their eyes. Xander eyed their full plates and drinks, mouth watering.

One man noticed his stares. "What are you looking at?" He glared.

Xander turned away quickly. "Sorry." He didn't want any trouble, this time around.

Sitting on the street curb, he munched miserably on the fries. He should be grateful, he told himself, that he got this much. But the food was soggy and it tasted stale.

"Four and half." He scoffed, staring at the broken chunk. "If anything, this is a quarter."

"Desperin,"he cursed to himself. Of all the filthy places the Shadow Dragon could of run to, why did she pick the filthiest?

He packed up the last of his coins and was ready to take his leave when-

"Wait, boy." said a gravelly voice. It came from a tan man with a doctor's mask. "Do you have any money on hand?"

Within his pockets, Xander's fist was wrapped around the few coins he had. "Why?" He took a few steps back, getting ready to run.

"Don't leave us just yet, kid." A woman with a checkered kerchief rolled her eyes. "We're not going bite."

Doctor Mask scooted over. "Wanna join?"

Xander hesitated. They could be planning to gang up on him and make off with what little he had. He could be walking into their hands if he sat down.

But his eye lingered on the shiny piles. The chips in his hands fell short. He _did_ need money, and it wasn't the first time he'd gambled. He should be able to tell if one of them was cheating.

In the end, he sat down, asking them to deal him in

They resumed their game, and he played along. There were no introductions, which was comforting in a strange sort of way. The other gamblers gossiped. Some cheered when they were given their winnings. Others booed at their loss. Xander was too focused on his growing pile to listen. He couldn't get too pleased with himself.

Xander stayed quiet until an old man said, "You good? Where you from?"

"What?" Xander looked up as he stuffed his pockets with his earnings.

"You a foreigner, right? Because if you weren't, you would have one of these." The old man pointed to the dirty dish rag around his mouth.

It was then Xander noticed how everyone around him had something on their face. There were those covered with cloth and those with bearing decorated surgical masks. One even had a respirator.

"The air's not good for your lungs, especially around parts like these." Doctor Mask jerked a thumb towards a chugging factory. A faded green bandana landed in Xander's lap. "Best to take care of them while you can."

The teen took it gingerly. "Why are you being so nice to me?" He wrapped it over his mouth. It smelled musky, like beer.

"Don't sweat it, kid. I'm not getting my hands dirty over this." Doctor Mask waved it off. "Besides, tell us: where are you from?"

Again, they were all staring at him under half-closed lids. Xander didn't understand their interest in him. "Borreania. I'm from Borreania."

He saw eyes widened.

Checkered Kerchief let out a low whistle. "Damn, son. It's going down, right?"."

It took Xander a moment to process what she meant. "With the Shadow Dragon and the Trix?"

"Yeah, yeah, and Prince Kazen's recent murder and all."

Recent? Xander's brows were scrunched. "He died months ago, though."

"Huh." Checkered Kerchief tilted her head.

"Shows you how slow news can be in the outer rim." grunted a man in a spotted scarf. He faced the teen. "Say, how much do you know about it, anyway?

"About what?"

"The whole thing: The thief, the witches, and maybe the Winx, if I'm not wrong."

The gamblers were interested. Their sleepy faces were waking up.

Xander fingered his cash. "I know enough." It was a safe answer to say.

"Tell us some of it, then." Dotted Scarf propped his fist under his fist.

They were leaning forward. Xander didn't know what to say. But then he saw they wanted more. They wanted more than the obsolete rumors. They wanted more than twisted tales. Speculation was fun but the truth was something else.

There would be nothing wrong with giving information. Who knows? He might find a lead.

"Well," Xander began.

The spotlight was on him. He told them almost everything he knew, from what happened on the fateful day to the fact Astan and Saurez were on trial. Of course, Xander had left out bits here and there. They didn't need to know _everything_. Especially not personal things, or the reason he was here in the first place.

For the most part, the gamblers were silent. They listened, only interrupting with the questions they had. Xander tried his best to answer them as he could.

"So what happened to her, anyway?" a woman in a worn shirt said. "The Shadow Dragon, after she escaped?"

"No one knows." Xander admitted. "She hasn't been seen since." He took a breath. Here goes nothing. "But you know, some are saying she fled to here, on Desperin."

He waited, searching for any sign, any recognition that he was onto something.

The gamblers exchanged glances between one another, before bursting out into a chorus of chortles.

Xander's heart sank.

A muffled boom erupted from Doctor Mask. "Hoo! That's rich!"

"I'm not joking here." He was trying to push down the red in his face.

"I'm sure you're not." Doctor Mask wiped a tear from his eye as the laughter died down. "But really? Have you seen it here?" As quick as he had chuckled, Doctor Mask snapped into something more flat.

Xander's stomach was turning. "So what? This planet is huge." He tried not to sound desperate. "There are a lot of places to hide. She could be anywhere here."

"That's not what I was talking about." Doctor Mask's grey eyes were steely. "You're a nice kid, but wow, you are _dense_."

"Hey, cut him slack." Checkered Kerchief cried out. "He's only a foreigner. He wouldn't know."

"Yeah, but," Doctor Mask opened his arms and gestured toward the city, "Look at this. Look at _all of it_. There's a reason why you find so many drunks in these parts. You have us, for one thing. You have children slaved to death in the factories. Teenagers turned into prostitutes," at this, the old man pointed out one woman in particular, dressed in purple with a near-complete face mask. Xander thought she was older than a teenager, but it was hard to tell. Hookers only approached people with money.

Doctor Mask snapped for Xander's attention, then returned to his complaining. "Drug trafficking is running high. Gang activity is everywhere. And the government is dragging their ass _at best_ while we're breathing in shit. "

The other gamblers did not bother to argue. They only listened, dark bags under their eyes, just like the guards in the bar.

Xander's spirits had been beaten to the pulp by each bitter word. But he had to ask. "Why aren't people trying harder, then? To help each other out?"

Doctor Mask was the only one to guffawed, speaking only in sardonic sounds. "Tell that to the whole fucking world, I dare you. You have to be the Great Dragon to get that to happen. Sorry to burst your bubble, kid, but I'm being honest. Even if that rumor is true, the Shadow Dragon's either stupid or she has no idea what she's getting into."

Doctor Mask's voice was calm now, but still sober. "You both should have stayed in Borreania. If I were the thief, I would have welcome jail with open arms. As for you, I have to ask: Why are you here?"

 _Why are you here?_

 _Why are you here?_

The question was ringing on repeat in his hand as Xander went for another hand.

 _Why are you here?_

 _Why are you here?_

He was here because-

He threw his cards down, revealing a Domino flush. He grabbed his earnings (forty-seven Dimeres), and was ready to make his escape.

He needed some sleep.

Xander sighed, looking into an ally when he took a step back.

It was the prostitute, from earlier. Her face mask had been removed, and her shirt was ripped. At first, Xander thought she was doing her job (and that he should leave before anyone saw him). Then he saw the knife.

"Come here, bitch. Time to pay for your sins." Xander heard him say.

The lady was struggling to fight but the man pinned her against the wall. He was larger than her, in every way. _Does she not have magic?_

"What? Too scared to speak?" The mugger leered, flashing the blade near her throat. She leaned into the metal touch, causing her attacker to laugh. "Oh no. Don't think you're getting off this easy."

Xander knew he had to do something. "Hey! Stop!"

The man turned back and, while his eyes widened at the sight of him, he made no change from his position.

"You're going to piss off right now," the man growled, "and pretend you didn't see anything here."

Here.

 _Here._

 _Why are you_ here _?_

He was here because-

"Oy, brat, you there in the head?"

There.

Here.

 _Why are you here?_

He was here because…

Because…

 _Because I'm on a mission._

Xander didn't know what pushed him to it. Was the leering taunts, the pent up frustration over the past few months? Or was it the woman's eyes, shocked and unsure?

He didn't know how it happened. But if Codatorta could see the way he was fighting now, he would have been expelled a second time. He lunged at the man's legs, knocking him away from the woman and the wall. A stupid idea, but Xander was fond of it.

The two of them became a ball of limbs. In all the turmoil, the burly man had yet to drop his knife, despite Xander's repeated kicks at the man's right arm. It was a miracle Xander wasn't gutted by the time they untangled.

The mugger had Xander in a death grip, pinning him to the ground. "You would defend this devil-spawn, this _harlot_? Her sins pile to the sky."

"I... don't care who she is," Xander choked out. "Heroes don't let brutes get away with murder."

As the knife moved closer to his throat, the world slowed down. In his mind's eye, the knife was no longer jagged or broken. It was a smooth, foot long blade. A small, dirt stained hand wrapped around it, hairless in the afternoon light.

He found her. After all this searching, he'd found the Shadow Dragon once more.

A sharp heeled shoe shot forward into the mugger's neck, knocking him out cold. Blood stemmed from the wound, but Xander couldn't tell how deep it was.

A clawed hand grabbed the knife before Xander could even think about it. The woman proceeded to loot the unconscious body, grabbing up what few Dimeres had been on him.

"Hey! Don't you think he'll notice once he wakes up?"

The lady looked up at him, yellow eyes glowing in the light. She seemed oddly focused, as if the darkness didn't affect her at all.

She never once spoke to him. Xander knew he should leave, but he couldn't stop himself from staring. He justified it to himself by claiming he was only checking for further injuries.

All in all (though it was hard to tell), the woman seemed unharmed. His earlier suspicions were right, however, in assuming she wasn't a teenager. If Xander had to guess, he'd put her in her mid-twenties. Old enough to know the world, but too young to give up on it.

"Why ware you still here?" the woman barked at him, a sarcastic tone to her voice. "Does your 'heroic bravery' come at a cost? Do I need to reward you, for nearly killing yourself over me?" she barked a laugh, causing Xander to blush. "IF you want it... Pay for it."

"N-Nuh... no! No! You've got me all wrong!" Xander kept his hands as far away from her as possible. "I just don't like watching people get killed, that's all?"

"Hmph," she snatched her face mask from Xander, it was glittery, the kind of mask on might wear to a masquerade ball. It wouldn't do anything to protect her health. But maybe that wasn't the point.

"Wait! Do I know you from somewhere?" Xander called out to her, trying to get her to say something else. He didn't need any type of reward, but a thank you would have been nice.

"No," the woman's reply was terse. "If you did, you would have left us well alone."

And with that, she disappeared from sight.

* * *

 **A/N's: SME: Happy new Year, y'all! here's to a whole year of chapters to come. I can only hope you've liked what you read so far. That would be enough.  
**

 **PTV: As for a whole year of chapters... I suppose I should inform everyone about our new update schedule. Starting with Chapter Six, we will be updating this story on the first Friday of every month. School is more demanding than it used to be.**

 **As for the chapter itself, you get no points for guessing who Xander helped out. But, if you can guess the character we bring in for Chapter Six, you get the reward I outlined in Chapter Four. Two hints:**

 **1) The character is from the comic-verse**

 **2) The next chapter is from Icy's POV, where she actively seeks the character out**

 **Can you figure out who it is? You've got a month to figure it out. Please leave all guesses in a review, thank you for reading our story, and I'll see you on the far side!**


	7. Chapter Six: Icy

Chapter Six

Icy had never been so sick in her life.

"Come on, cough it up." Stormy, trying and failing to be soothing, was wiping her down with a wet rag. "The sooner it's out of your system, the sooner we can get the hell out of here."

It was the first and last time the Trix _ever_ accepted food from a poorhouse. Icy already felt undignified stooping so low, but it was the only place that gave things away for free.

Now she knew why. And she was more humiliated than ever.

A homeless woman had passed by earlier when Stormy was the one throwing up. She'd laughed at them.

 _"Foreigners, hm? It takes a Desperini's stomach to hold that down."_

The bile in Icy's throat was calling bullshit on that one. How _anyone_ could successfully digest such a horrid poison was beyond her. Whoever cooked it with magic was _not_ very experienced. Not that Icy could do better at the moment. Food had never been a forte of hers.

The witch was finally bending over the fence, puking into a brackish river. The putrid scent attacked her nostrils, sending her over the edge once more. Her sister grabbed her around the waist, trying to keep her from falling in.

"Don't touch that water," Stormy warned. "Or else you really _will_ get sick."

"No shit." Icy snapped, throwing her off.

Her mouth was still tainted with a foul taste. But, at least, she didn't feel like dying anymore.

The air was cleaner out here, half a mile out from the city. The witches no longer had to wear rags around their faces. Unfortunately, they couldn't stray too far from the city until Darcy came back. Last night, she'd been convinced she could get them more money before moving on. Icy didn't like the idea, but she'd promised to meet them again before dawn.

It was almost noon.

Where was she? Icy was starting to get fearful.

 _No, I'm not!_ She protested. _I don't need magic to be strong. I never did, and I never will._

She did everything she knew to harden her heart. It didn't work.

Was this how Bloom had felt, all those years ago?

 _I doubt it._ A small voice spoke. _She barely knew her potential, then. She had no idea the magic she was holding. You, on the other hand, knew exactly what you had inside you._

They would never be comparable, for one reason only: Icy's power had never been hers. All her life, someone else had given it to her; now, she was paying the price.

"Icy!"

"What?!"

"Look," Stormy pointed. "Darcy."

 _Thank the Dragon.  
_

Darcy ripped the mask from her face. It was decorative and sparkly, not meant to protect her from the toxic air. Her soiled heels were in one hand as she waded across the shallow river, bravely ignoring its contents. Her shirt had been ripped to shreds, showing Icy things she did _not_ care to see from her relative.

"Where have you been?"

Darcy sighed once she got to the other side, dropping her things onto the ground. Along with it, thirty-four Dimeres fell to the ground. "Working. I had two jobs last night and one in the morning."

Stormy took in the clotted cuts on her neck. "Did someone recognize you?"

Darcy nodded. "We fought. Now he's dead."

 _He's dead_. Icy hadn't killed anyone before, far as she knew. What was it like?

She looked back at Darcy. She sensed her sister was leaving something out, but considering what her 'job' entailed, Icy wasn't sure she wanted to know. "Ready to go?"

"Hold on," Darcy stripped herself of the ripped shirt. She tied together a few of the pieces and, in no time, it was a tube top. Once she was done, she looked back at Icy. "So where are we going?"

"Nocturne Alley," Icy replied.

"What for?" Stormy asked.

"If my sources are correct, we'll find someone there. They'll be helping us."

Stormy narrowed her eyes. "Why so sure?"

For the first time in days, Icy smirked. "Because they owe me big time."

* * *

Nocturne Alley wasn't very far. The Trix reached it before the sun went down. Unfortunately, it was only slightly less polluted than the last city they visited.

The whole Dimension had wept when Andros's waters went toxic. But when places like Desperin, a smaller planet with a larger population, lived in poison for decades on a planet barely habitable, no one said a word. _Hypocrites._

"Is this where we're supposed to be?" Stormy eyed the houses on the street.

Icy nodded. It might've been seven years since they last saw each other, but she hadn't forgotten. Though, she had to ho- assume he hadn't left early.

"Do you know where our mysterious person lives?" Darcy questioned. "This is a big town."

"The richer part." Icy didn't need to explain further.

That area encompassed less than a block of that whole city, hardly housing a dozen people.

"Well, then." Stormy scanned the street. "Who is our mysterious helper?"

"You should know. He's an old friend." Icy replied.

"No, I'm not."

The Trix turned around. Behind them was a man in his late twenties, flocked by a ragtag gang of teenagers and young adults. They looked ready to fight.

Icy smirked, raising her hands in surrender. "Oh come on. I know it's been a while, but I didn't think you'd actually forgotten."

He narrowed his eyes at the witch. His black hair was longer than she remembered it being, almost to his shoulders. His dark eyes shone as arrogantly as ever, and the way he nodded to the others suggested a position of authority. Despite the planet's conditions, everyone in his crew looked decently fed. They didn't even bother wearing face masks. Were they using magic?

"What do you take me for? I might have known you in another life, but no one leaves the memory of Darko the Black."

"Darko?!" Darcy and Stormy gasped at the same time. Icy watched as all the pieces came together in their heads. The man himself laughed.

"Isi, Drina, and Selia. It's been a long time. Can't say I missed you."

"Same here," Darcy replied, casting a suspicious eye towards the others. "Found yourself another gang, hm? I'm sure you're still selling the same old stuff."

"It keeps them and their families alive," Darko explained, crossing his arms defensively. "Greater kindness than you've done anyone."

Stormy's mouth was thin. "How much do you know about the past few years?"

"Enough." He waved off. "I can't believe you bitches actually went through with it. That sure takes guts."

 _No, it really doesn't._ Icy's stomach turned, and it wasn't because of breakfast. She was about to speak, but he wasn't done.

"So, what brings you three here? I don't think there's anything worth ruling over in this part of the dimension, but you can correct me if I'm wrong. If you're just feeling particularly destructive today... you can't destroy what's already wrecked. If you're hiding from the Winx..." he gave them a mocking smile. "I'll commend you on that one. It's not a bad strategy. Because honestly, no one from the inner ring is insane enough to visit this place."

"We're here to cash in on a favor," Icy replied, keeping up her bravado.

Darko snorted. "What favor? You three condemned me to ten years in this shit hole."

"Good to see you remember. While you're at it, think back to how it was either this or a lifetime in Omega." Icy had her hands on her hips. "Like or not, Black, you owe us."

"And if I think otherwise?"

Icy smirked, sending a warning glance to both her sisters. She threatened him with the first thing she thought of. "We destroy every member of your little group, one by one. Ending with you. I'll freeze them solid."

"I'll trap them in eternal nightmares."

"And I'll blow their houses down. Including yours."

Darko stared at Icy, trying to assess her from afar. _I can't back down now._

He couldn't possibly know they'd lost their powers. They were bound to get away with this. That should have made Icy happier than it did.

"As if their lives aren't hard enough. They never even hurt you bitches" He shook his head. "You really are as heartless as they say," Darko sent his followers away, insisting they don't worry about him. Once they left (though Icy suspected they would merely be following them from afar), he turned.

Hands up in the air, he said. "I might be a wizard, but I can't beat all three of you."

Icy dropped her smile, looking almost mournful. "Let's take this somewhere more private, shall we?"

He nodded, motioning for them to come inside the house. It was a nice place, if a bit under-stocked. "I never thought I'd see you again. Why did you do it?"

Icy stared at him. "Do what?"

"All of it. Any of it. What possessed you to take over Magix? Go after the Codex? Team up with Valtor, of all people? Help that crazy prince-"

"We wanted power," Icy snapped, cutting him off. "We wanted attention. All those people think they can just ignore the darkness in their world, but they can't. We won't let them." _We also had no choice._ Power comes with a cost.

"I can't believe I used to know you people. Most people won't believe it. They thought you magically came into existence as seniors." Darko laughed, the sound humorless.

Darko the Black had met the Trix before they were the Trix. They'd grown up together for as long as their kid selves had remembered. He'd been born to a member of the coven, just like they supposedly had. No one knew who their real parents were, and after the Company of Light destroyed their care-houses and killed most the children, the four had scrounged together. That is, until he was adopted by Nero the Black, an infamous black market dealer who needed a future heir for his enterprise.

They last saw him the summer before their senior year at Cloud Tower, when he was caught dealing them Wisperian Crystals. It was only through Icy's persuasion the police never arrested him. She'd told his "dad" instead, who punished him accordingly.

"What do you want from me, anyway?"

"A place to hide," Icy spoke first. "Literally every major power in this universe wants to kill us. We need a place we can live in peace. Give us that, and we'll never hurt anyone again."

Behind her, Darcy and Stormy nodded. Darko looked furious.

"You want a new life, after everything you've done?" Darko approached Icy. She didn't fight when he pushed her against a wall, despite her sisters' objections. "My father was in Solaria, when Cassandra and Chimera took over. He watched people be tortured for no reason."

"We had nothing to do with that. It was Valtor alone."

"And you were allied with him you... you-"

He didn't even know what to call them.

"I know what happened in Andros. Some of those mermaids might never recover, you know that? Most of those mermaids never did anything to hurt you. They aren't the privileged delusional bastards we all know and hate, not even close! They were normal people, with lives and a future and a family to provide for. And thanks to you, their life is now as fucked as yours ever was. You have no right to flee. You bitches don't even deserve death. Too painless."

None of the Trix argued.

"We're running from the Ancestral Witches," Darcy cleared her throat. "We thought about going to the Winx, but they'd send us to Oblivion, the Witches' home. I-I know what we've done. I was there when it happened. But do we seriously deserve them? You know what they did to their followers over twenty years ago. Does anyone deserve that?"

For a moment, Icy thought he was going to say yes. He thought so too.

But in the end, he didn't. "Fine," Darko released Icy, who let out a breath. "I'm surprised none of you attacked me."

"I wouldn't attack you," Icy replied, voice thick. She wanted to tell him why, but it wasn't worth whatever shreds of dignity she had left. She wasn't dealing with _those thoughts_ ever again.

"I don't know what you did to piss off your ancestors, but I can assume you're pretty fucked. There's only one place I can think of where they can't reach you."

"Where?"

"Temprous: Home of the time spirit, Chronos."

Silence.

"You're kidding me, right?" Stormy raise a brow.

Icy stared at the man, looking for any sign that he was giving a half-hearted joke.

His face was straight, completely serious.

"Think about it: a timeless planet, hard to gain access to unless you somehow pleased the spirit. Sure, Chronos may not have as much power as the Witches or the Great Dragon, but he'll let you live an eternal life in a society far removed from anything you've ever known."

"We know the legend. We just didn't think you were stupid enough to suggest it." Darcy said. "Even if it's true, no one knew what lies beyond, not even the other ancient spirits."

"Yeah, but the one thing people do know that you'd forget everything about yourself. That's perfect, right?" Darko watched them intently. "Your mind is wiped clean, leaving you with a blank slate for a new life."

"But Temprous is only a myth." Icy muttered.

"So is the Great Dragon. And, until the coven showed up, the Ancestral Witches. But hey. If you don't like the idea, then there's always death," Darko said, handing them a dagger. "I'll send the Winx your bodies and claim the prize on your head. If you choose to die now, you can die however quickly you'd like."

"I would never-" Stormy started, then stopped herself. The sisters looked at each other. Were they seriously considering this?

Icy looked at the dagger in her hand. He had a point. It might be for the best.

Then again…

 _My wish is very simple. Simply promise me, when the new dawn comes that you will be there to see it. Do not die in the depths of the night._

Icy looked back and forth between her sisters. They both nodded, the same decision in their heads.

"We can't do this," Icy handed the dagger back. "When my sisters and I die, we'll be sent to Oblivion no matter what. Once we're there, the Ancestors will never leave us alone. Temprous is our only hope."

"But where is it, then?" Stormy asked.

Darko shrugged. "You're on your own on that. Good luck with your lack of powers and all, right?"

Darcy gasped. Stormy's eyes widened. Icy said nothing.

The man in the room smirked. "Figures. Usually you have more pride than this It was either that or a terminal illness."

"I... guess we didn't need your help after all," Darcy replied.

"No, you did. Just not the kind you were thinking of. Unlike you bitches, I care about people's lives."

"I guess we should go." Icy choked. "Bye Darko. I... think this is the last time."

"You said that last time, too. Only Dragon knows if that's true." He nudged her playfully. "Now go get some sleep."

* * *

 **A/N's: PTV: Ah... I owe this one on SME. 100%. It was crap when I wrote it. I was in a funk, had no clue where I was going with any of it, and now... This. Thank you so mucb.**

 **Also, sorry we take so long now. It's better than an unplanned hiatus, no? You can reliably get a chapter once a month or go months with no word from us. Yeah, not the best way to keep a following. Sorry people.**

 **Anyway, thanks once again for tuning in, I'm amazed at all the support our first fic got and hope to achieve just as much here, and we will see you all on the far side. And now, SME would like to say some very brief words:**

 **SME: So we meet again... hey guys, I hope you like the chapter t** **oday. I also hope that you'll continue enjoying SitS, even if there's the longer wait time. School is a challenge to work with, but we shall still try our best to deliver. Thank you for your time reading, reviewing, and favoriting.** **  
**


	8. Announcement

**PTV: It's been so long... and for that, we are sorry. We realized we hadn't worked on this story in a long time, and SME and I have thought log and hard about what we want to do.**

 **Um... I'll let her do the explaining:**

 **SME: It's been a long time since I've been on this site. I'm sorry that after all that wait, we give you this as an update.**

 **This isn't a decision to regret, though. OotD will have a special place in our hearts. But considering the source material...**

 **PTV: The source material we stopped following at the beginning of Season Six, to be exact. I know a Season Seven happened, but did it ever go beyond that? Anyway... It doesn't matter that our story is AU. We just can't reconcile it anymore.**

 **SME: I liked Winx as a child. It was a fun, magical cartoon I could wind down to. But now that I'm older, I can't get into it because of the glaring problems I now see.**

 **PTV: We both see. Both of us have moved on to different fandoms. This one makes us feel... tied down, in a way.**

 **SME: Forcing myself to make a story for a caon I dislike would take away from said story's level of quality.**

 **Thus, my partner and I shall go for an original spin off.**

 **PTV: Back from the start, right through OotD, and taking all the Winx canon out, to be replaced with our own ideas. Heck, we might even get it published.**

 **SME: We're aiming to make our standards be something like the new "Voltron" reboot- definitely unlike any Cartoon Network reboot.**

 **PTV: Don't know what Voltron is, but I agree. We won't be the first authors to come out of fanfiction. Did you know Cassandra Clare got her start in the same place. So I thank all out readers... but this will be goodbye for a long time. Please forgive us.**

 **But... if you ever see "Out of the Darkness" out on shelves, a few years from now, I hope you remember us. Us and where we started. Because it all began here.**

 **Thank you, everyone who gave us encouragement. And maybe, once again, we'll see you on the far side. A long time from now.**


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